Camper unit structure



20, 1963 .1. E. GOSSMAN 3,397,909

CAMPER UN IT STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 18, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR. JESSE E. GOSSMFJN ATTOR/UE X Aug. 20, 1968 .1. E. GOSSMAN I CAM PER UNIT smuc'rims 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 18, 1966 INVENTOR. JESSE E. GOSSMQ U m ATTOANEY Aug. 20, 1968 J. E. GOSSMAN CAMPER UNIT STRUCTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 18, 1966 INVENTOR. I

W6 JESSE E. GOSSMFJN HTTORNEX Aug. 20, 1968 J. E. GOSSMAN 3,397,909

CAMPER UN IT STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 18, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FL P.

1 N VEN TOR. JESSE E. GOSSMAIU ATTORNEY.

Aug. 20, 1968 3,397,909

J. E. GOSSMAN CAMPER UNIT STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 18, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheei; 5

INVENTOR. JESSE E. GOSSMfl/U F7 TTOR/UE X United States Patent 3,397,909 CAMPER UNIT STRUCTURE Jesse E. Gossman, 32000 SW. 187th Ave., Homestead, Fla. 33030 Filed Oct. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 587,592 9 Claims. (Cl. 296-23) ABSTRACT OF Tm DISCLOSURE A camper structure comprising an open bottom two section shell type canopy fitting cover an open top box and having telescopic arm means to interconnect the sections to permit lateral and vertical displacement enlarging the canopy and drive means to operate the arms in unison and partial floor means connected between the box and canopy.

This invention relates to a camper unit structure, and, more particularly, to a camper unit structure which is adapted to be expanded into an enlarged camping quarters position.

As is perhaps well known, camping has of recent years become quite popular and this invention is of an improved camper unit which is adapted to be carried on the bed of a wheeled support.

The unit includes a lower open top box type structure and an inverted shell-shaped canopy which is laterally expandable from a collapsed position with the shell being circumposed over the box to an elevated and extended position above the box with the canopy and the box being interconnected by an arm system and drive means for the arm system to raise the canopy and hold it above the box and with partial floors being provided to interconnect the upper rim of the box and the depending lip or rim of the canopy.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved canopy unit structure of the type described in the preceding paragrah which includes, among other things, brace means to hold the canopy in the elevated position and an improved roof structure for such a canopy.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide a camper unit structure which includes an open box type base portion and a canopy which is adapted to be raised from a circumposed position about the box to an elevated position protectively above the box with said canopy being in two sections, in lateral telescopic relation to expand outwardly on raising of the canopy, and a partial floor interconnecting the canopy, and the upper portion of the box type base.

A general object of this invention is to provide a camper unit structure of the type described which may be quickly raised into an in-use expanded position or collapsed into a relaxed and road travel position.

A general object of this invention is to provide a device of the type described hereinafter which is inexpensive to manufacture, simple in construction, and is well adapted for the purposes for which it intended.

In accordance with these and other objects which will become apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of the camper unit structure installed on the bed of a truck;

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevation view of the camper unit structure in a collapsed position;

FIGURE 3 is a rear elevation view illustrating the camper unit structure in an extended position;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 3 and illustrating the access opening for the camper unit;

FIGURE 5 is a front elevation view which is partly 3,3919%? Patented Aug. 20, 1968 broken away and which illustrates the operation of the camper unit in moving from the collapsed condition shown in FIGURE 2 to the elevated or extended position shown in FIGURE 3 and illustrating the operating mechanism for relative movement of the portions of the camper unit;

FIGURE 6 is a view in cross section taken generally along the plane indicated by the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 7 is a partial view in cross section taken along the plane indicated by the line 77 of FIGURE 6 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 3 and taken along the plane indicated by the line 8 8 of FIGURE 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged partial View of the upper portion of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 10 is a view in cross section taken along the plane indicated by the line Iii-10 of FIGURE 9 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the dilferent views, there is shown in FIGURE 1 a vehicle 12 to tow the camper structure 14 on a support bed 16, which is indicated in FIGURE 8. The camper structure 14 includes a lower parallelepipedal shaped box 1-8 having an open top. Trough-defining members 30 and 32 are provided which extend outwardly of the side walls 20 and 22 between the front and rear walls 24 and 26 and adjacent the floor 28 of the lower box 18. Hingedly connected along the upper rims 34 and 36 of the respective side walls there are hingedly connected, as by the hinges 38 and 40, a flap type partial floor 42 and 44, which are shown in the collapsed position in FIGURE 5 and in an extended position in FIGURE 8. An inverted shelltype canopy 50 is disposed over and adapted to receive therein the lower box 18. The canopy 50 comprises two sections, 52 and 54, each of which includes a side wall 56 and 58. From each side wall there extend a front and a rear laterally extending channel member 60 and 62 with the distal ends 64 and 66 being slidably interengaged, as is indicated in FIGURE 10 and in which there is captivated a roller such as that designated by the numeral 68. Also, the front wall of the canopy is composed of panels 70 and 72 which extend respectively from the front end of the respective side walls 56 and 58 of the respective canopy sections 52 and 54 and overlap one another. The rear wall of the canopy is composed of panels 74 and 76 extending from each of the canopy side walls 56 and 58 at the rear end thereof and along the distal edge of the rear panels 74 and 76 there are connected by hinge means, such as 78 and 80 and 82, swinging door sections of a suflicient size to close the back of the canopy when in the extended position shown in FIGURE 3 and such that the doors on one of the edges of one of the panels are of sufiicient size to traverse the rear end of the canopy when it is in the collapsed position. Roof means are provided for the canopy and are to be described more fully hereinafter; however, it is believed for a more ready understanding it will be preferable to describe the inter-working relation between the lower box and the canopy at this juncture.

Longitudinally-extending bars 84 and 86 are disposed in the lower box intermediate the height thereof and journalled at their respective ends to the front and rear walls of the lower box adjacent the respective side walls.

a Each of the bars includes a portion extending from either preferably at the juncture of the side and rear panels where the metal is of double thickness, a forearm 94 and 94', 96 and 96' are pivotally connected as by the pivot pin means generally indicated by the numeral 98. As can be seen in FIGURE 5, the upper arm and forearm are of substantially the same length and are connected together at a pivotal elbow joint 100, 100, 102, 102. It will thus be apparent that on rotation of the drive shaft at a common angular velocity the arms will rotate to the extended chain-dot line position shown in FIG- URE 5. The extending lower edge of each of the flap type partial floors 42 and 44 is pivotally connected to the pivot pin connection of the respective upper arms so that the partial floor flaps are raised on elevation of the canopy to the chain-dot line position shown in FIG- URE 5. Drive means 104 are provided to raise and lower the canopy by manipulating the previously described arm system. The drive means comprises a main drive shaft 106 adapted to be driven by either an AC or a DC motor 108 or 110 which are adapted to be selectively controlled by the switches 112 or 114 which can be seen in FIGURE 3, and which motors, when energized, rotate the shaft 106. A suitable speed reducer mechanism 116 may be provided and will be described more fully in the following paragraph; however, suffice it at this point to note that on rotation of the shaft 106 the main drive sprocket 118 will cause a pair of secondary drive sprockets 120 and 122 to rotate shoulder sprockets 124 and 126 keyed for rotation with the extending ends of the bars 84 and 86 which, by reason of chain drive interconnections 128 and 130, will lift the canopy. As the canopy is lifted, the front and rear panels will be drawn apart or extended as will the confronting laterally extending front and rear laterally extending members 60 and 62 with the roller 68 facilitating the extendible travel thereof. With respect to the chain interconnections, a tie unit composed of a stem 132 and 132 is included in each to interconnect with a threadable member 134 and 134' to permit of tightening of the respective chains and to reduce the number of links required. In the preferred embodiment, a limit switch 138 and 140 is provided to control current flow to the respective motors 108 and 110 and interrupt current flow thereto when the arm system is extended and the canopy is raised and also when the arms are flexed and the canopy is in the collapsed position shown in FIGURE 2.

As can be seen in FIGURE 7, on the exterior surface of the front wall 24 of the lower box, a guide plate or cover plate 142 is provided to guide the nesting of the canopy over the lower box in the collapsing movement thereof and the space betwen the cover plate 142 and the front wall 24 of the lower box defines an operating pocket for the drive mechanism and speed reducer system.

The speed reducer system comprises in the embodiment shown a sleeve 144 connected to the front end of the drive shaft as by the pins 146 to rotate the sprocket and chain 148 and 148' to turnan enlarged sprocket 150 journalled together with a stub shaft 152 to the front wall 24 which may be reinforced by the plate 154. To the end 156 of the stub shaft a small sprocket 158 is provided which interconnects as by the chain 160 with an enlarged sprocket 162. The enlarged sprocket is carried on a short rod 168 which is rotatably and telescopically exposed in the aforesaid sleeve 144 to rotate therein outwardly of the end of the main drive shaft 106. A small gear 167 is connected for rotation with the rod to turn the aforesaid secondary drive sprockets which, as has been described, are connected by the chains to the shoulder sprockets, by means of the gears 169 and 169'.

Brace means or support means 170 are provided to reinforce the aforesaid flap type partial floors 42 and 44. The support means are indicated in FIGURE 3 and, as is clear, are provided on each side of the camper structure 14; however, for simplicity, the same will be described with reference to one side only. Each brace comprises an L-shaped member having a stem 172, 172' and a lateral leg 174, 174 with the stem leg 172 and 172 of the L being hingedly connected along the length thereof by the hinge means 176 and 176 to the side walls 20 and 22 of the lower box, see FIGURE 8. A strut 178, 178 is preferably provided to connect across the crotch of the L-shaped members and reinforce the extending end of the lateral leg as it underlies the partial floor. Ordinarily, the brace means 170 are in the position which is seen in plan in FIGURE 6; however, they may swing out in the direction indicated by the arrowed lines. To accommodate this movement, a short arm 180 and 180' extends outwardly of the stem leg and pivotally connected to the distal ends an interconnecting link 184 is provided to tie the L-shaped members for rotation about their stem legs in unison. A spring 190 is connected to one of the arms to normally bias the L-shaped members in the support position and a rotatable keeper 194 is provided to hold energy stored in the spring and hold the L-shaped members to the side walls 20 of the lower box when not in use; the foregoing will be apparent on inspection of FIGURE 6.

Referring to the roof means for the canopy, a cover panel 200 and 202 extend outwardly from the upper rim of the respective side walls of the canopy with the extending edges in overlapping relation in either the extended or the collapsed position and with the panels 200 and 202 overlaying the confronting laterally extending front and rear laterally extending members 60 and 62. In the embodiment shown, the panels are arcuate as seen'in cross section and are hingedly connected along their length to the upper rim of the canopy, and when the canopy is extended the ridge line of the roof comprises the double thickness of the overlapping marginal edges of the roof panels. Support means are provided to hold the overlapping confronting ends of the roof panels. In the embodiment shown the support means comprise a plurality of arcuate channel members such as 206 and 208 in FIGURE 10 in depending relation on either roof panel with each channel member 206 and 208 being pivotally connected to the upper rim of the canopy side wall and with the extending end of one being nestable within the channel form of the other and with a roller captivated therebetween. To accommodate the pivotal connection along the upper rim, ears 210 and 212 are provided and a pivot pin connection 214 is passed through a hole through the web 218 of the channel member, This pivotal connection is necessary as will be apparent from a comparison of FIGURE 2 and FIGURE 3. When in the extended position shown in FIGURE 3, it is necessary that the dotted line range of annular adjustment of the distal edge or overlapping ridge zone 204 of the roof panels be slightly elevated. Depending from the roof panels at the front and rear end thereof are shields 234 and 234', and 236 and 236 which are of sufiicient length so as to overlap and close the distance which opens by reason of the raised ridge line. The rear shields are preferably provided with a hingedly connected depending portions 238 and 238 so that the same may be folded to permit of opening and closing of the panel doors with the canopy section.

It will be noted that in the ridge zone of the roof, that portion comprised of the overlapping roof panels, a laterally extending tie cable 175, under tension is provided to hold the ridge zone edge of the outer roof panel against the inner roof panel edge to resist wind forces while the canopy is in the extended position. The tie cable is secured at one end to the top front and top rear corners of that canopy section which carries the outer roof panel, as at 177. The distal ends of the tie cables are secured in the respective front and rear roof channels of the same canopy sections as at 179. A button 181 is provided in an arcuate angle member and 185' at the front and rear respectively of the other canopy section, the section which carries the inner roof panel, and the tie cable is passed thereover to hold the outer roof panel at all times in close overlaying relation to the inner roof panel. The preferred material for the canopy and box structure is a relatively thin sheet metal.

While the instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is therefore not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent apparatus and articles.

What is claimed is:

1. A camper unit structure comprising, an open top box to be secured to a support bed, an open bottom shell type canopy sized to fit over the box, said canopy comprising a first section and a second section and including telescoping means to interconnect the sections and elfective to permit lateral displacement of the sections to enlarge the canopy; means to interconnect the canopy adjacent the opening and the box at spaced points and comprising an arm system including a forearm and an upper arm with a pivotal elbow therebetween to raise the canopy with respect to the box on movement of said forearm and elbow relative to said box, drive means to operate the arms in unison, partial floor means hingedly connected along the box at the open top and carried by the canopy adjacent the open bottom to hingedly span the distance between the canopy and the box when the arms are flexed to telescopically expand and raise the canopy above the box, said canopy includes an intermating roof system and means to hold portions of the roof in engagement with one another along a ridge zone of juncture of panels of the roof section.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said drive means include a main drive shaft operatively connected to either an AC or a DC motor to rotate the drive shaft and means interconnecting the main drive shaft and the arm system at a shoulder sprocket to raise and expand the canopy on operation of the drive means.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein a speed reducer system is provided on the drive shaft.

4. A device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said speed reducer system is protectively housed within a pocket defined by a guide panel on the exterior surface of the box.

5. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein means are provided to limit relative movement of the box and canopy.

6. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein depending flap portions are provided on confronting ends of the roof panels to slidably overlay one another on collapsing of said unit and to protectively shield the forward and rearward openings of said canopy between said ridge zone and the front and rear panels of said canopy.

7. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein supports are provided to underlie the partial floor, said supports comprising an L-shaped member having a stern leg pivotally connected along a vertical line of said box and a support leg to extend outwardly of said stem leg and rigidly reinforce said partial floor in underlying relation.

8. A device as set forth in claim 7 wherein said support means are spring biased into a normal pivotal position with the support leg and said stem in a substantial parallel alignment with one of the sides of said box.

9. A device as set forth in claim 8 wherein keeper means are provided to hold the support means in position along the box.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,352,596 11/1967 Escoto 296-27 2,732,251 1/ 1956 Meaker 296-233 1,864,047 6/ 1932 Lawhorne 29623.6

PHILIP GOODMAN, Primary Examiner. 

